Will I buy a car in UK before moving home?
Hi there,
I read your excellent article on importing from the UK with the new rules. I'm Irish, living in UK but moving back home next August. I'm looking at buying here and bringing it home, and could buy now or closer to August. I see that I would owe a NOx levy, VRT of probably 31% OMSP for the model I want, plus 10% customs plus 21% VAT, so a minimum of 62% of OMSP. Seems totally prohibitive but I understand the rationale.
My question is - does having the car and owning it here for more than six months affect the VAT and customs duty? If I had owned a car here and was moving across to Ireland would I still need to pay 60% plus of the car's market value just to register it in Ireland?
Regards
A
A Rogers (London)Feb 2021 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Ailin,
OK, I think the best advice is to buy as soon as you possibly can. According to Revenue, you MAY be able to claim exemption on VRT, VAT and customs duty if you’re bringing your car in as part of a permanent move. You need to have owned the vehicle for ‘at least six months’ so being as we’re into February already, the clock is ticking. Make sure you keep every receipt and proof of address, road tax and insurance (and maybe keep them for the car you have now too, just to extend the paper trail).
Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Advisor@neilmbriscoe